Practical Guide: 3 Essential Tips for Safely Buying High-Mileage Used Cars

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 19/11/2024 at 17:45

Updated on 19/11/2024 at 17:46

Foto: ;Reprodução

Be the first to react!

Buying a High-Mileage Used Car Can Be Advantageous, But Requires Care. See Essential Tips to Ensure a Good Choice

The used car market in Brazil continues to expand, consolidating itself as a solid alternative in light of rising prices for new vehicles. According to data released by Fenabrave, only in the first half of 2024, 5.4 million used cars were sold, a record number for the period.

This scenario reflects significant changes in consumer behavior, driven in part by the high prices of new vehicles and the growing preference for semi-new or high-mileage models.

Currently, a brand-new car starts at around R$ 70 thousand, making used models an attractive option for those looking for savings and often more benefits in terms of space and performance.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

What Is Considered High Mileage?

Understanding what characterizes “high mileage” is the first step to avoiding problems when buying a used car. The average annual use in Brazil varies between 13,000 and 15,000 kilometers.

Thus, a car with 10 years of use and around 150,000 km driven can be considered within a normal range. Beyond that, careful consideration is necessary, as this number indicates that the vehicle has already covered half of the expected lifespan for passenger car engines.

According to Clayton Barcelos Zabeu, an automotive propulsion specialist, “well-maintained vehicles can retain their characteristics up to 150,000 km. However, after this mark, corrective maintenance and costs become more frequent.” Zabeu warns, however, that low-mileage vehicles can also present problems if not well cared for or if they have a history of accidents.

Components to Observe in High-Mileage Cars

When evaluating a used car, the maintenance history should be a priority. A vehicle without detailed records of regular maintenance poses a high risk. Additionally, it is essential to physically evaluate key components of the vehicle.

Fluids

The condition of the engine, transmission, and brake fluids is a clear indicator of the care the car has received over time. “Preventive maintenance with regular fluid changes is essential to avoid premature wear,” explains Diego Riquero Tournier, a Bosch specialist.

What to Check:

Engine Oil: Regular change every 10,000 km, along with the filter.
Transmission Oil: For automatic transmissions, change between 50,000 and 80,000 km.
Brake Fluid: Periodic change, as it absorbs moisture.
Cooling Fluid: Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Timing Belts and Chains

These components ensure the engine’s timing, and if disregarded, can cause irreversible damage. Belts should be replaced between 60,000 and 100,000 km, whereas chains, being more durable, can be inspected after 200,000 km.

Brakes and Suspension

Items such as pads, discs, and shock absorbers show natural wear in high-mileage cars. Problems in this system can be identified by noises, misalignments, or difficulties with braking.

Electrical Components

The electrical system of modern vehicles requires special attention. “Batteries, alternators, and starters should be evaluated, as well as the electronic system through automotive scanners,” explains Zabeu. Diagnostic tools help identify failures and possible alterations.

The Importance of the Cautionary Report

Before closing a deal, a cautionary report is essential. This document evaluates the car’s structure, checking points such as subframes, columns, and chassis to identify collisions or poorly done repairs. Additionally, the report checks the vehicle’s history, including administrative pendencies or restrictions.

Seek a Specialist

Even following all these recommendations, it is prudent to seek the help of a professional. Specialized workshops offer planned inspections before purchase, evaluating not only the car’s condition but also potential future maintenance costs.

Acquiring a used vehicle with high mileage can be an excellent choice, provided it is done with caution and planning. As Zabeu highlighted: “Mileage, in isolation, should not be the only assessment criteria. The overall condition of the vehicle is what truly matters.”

Although the market is heated, trust and the search for reliable information remain the consumer’s best allies. Buying a used car requires careful analysis and, of course, a bit of luck to find the ideal combination of price and quality. After all, with the right tools and a careful approach, excellent deals can be made.

Practical Guide: 3 Essential Tips for Safely Buying High-Mileage Used Cars

Buying a High-Mileage Used Car Can Be Advantageous, But Requires Care. See Essential Tips to Ensure a Good Choice

What Is Considered High Mileage?

Components to Observe in High-Mileage Cars

Fluids

Timing Belts and Chains

Brakes and Suspension

Electrical Components

The Importance of the Cautionary Report

Seek a Specialist

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Brazil will harvest a record crop of up to 357 million tons of grains, but it does not have the capacity to store a large part of it. The storage deficit has reached the highest level in history and is equivalent to almost the entire production of Argentina.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

In a locked room of a R$ 220 million mansion in Brazil about to be demolished, a R$ 400,000 Brancusi sculpture has just been found.

Owner of the largest pig farm on the planet, the Chinese company Muyuan Foods sent executives to Mato Grosso to study pig production in Brazil, as a step by China to get closer to the source of feed and ensure food security, although the investment has not yet been confirmed.

Archaeologists discovered in Pompeii the remains of a man who faced the eruption of Vesuvius holding a bowl on his head as a shield, a lamp to light the way, and ten bronze coins to restart life, in a find that confirms the account written by Pliny the Younger almost 2,000 years ago.

At 16 years old and without money to buy equipment, a student from the Sertão of Paraíba built his first telescope with two margarine buckets and a wall mirror, and today he brings space observations to schools and squares in the region with increasingly powerful devices.

Practical Guide: 3 Essential Tips for Safely Buying High-Mileage Used Cars

Buying a High-Mileage Used Car Can Be Advantageous, But Requires Care. See Essential Tips to Ensure a Good Choice

What Is Considered High Mileage?

Components to Observe in High-Mileage Cars

Fluids

Timing Belts and Chains

Brakes and Suspension

Electrical Components

The Importance of the Cautionary Report

Seek a Specialist

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Brazil will harvest a record crop of up to 357 million tons of grains, but it does not have the capacity to store a large part of it. The storage deficit has reached the highest level in history and is equivalent to almost the entire production of Argentina.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

Japan and Mercosur may reach an agreement to lower the cost of cars and auto parts, with manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, and Nissan coming into focus.

Volkswagen is preparing an SUV derived from the new Amarok to compete with the Toyota SW4 and Haval H9, utilize the Argentine Pacheco factory, and transform a pickup into a more profitable family of products.

Brazil gets its first ultra-fast 480 kW charger for electric cars, serving up to four vehicles at the same time and promising a charge from 10% to 80% in about 15 minutes.

In a locked room of a R$ 220 million mansion in Brazil about to be demolished, a R$ 400,000 Brancusi sculpture has just been found.

Owner of the largest pig farm on the planet, the Chinese company Muyuan Foods sent executives to Mato Grosso to study pig production in Brazil, as a step by China to get closer to the source of feed and ensure food security, although the investment has not yet been confirmed.

Archaeologists discovered in Pompeii the remains of a man who faced the eruption of Vesuvius holding a bowl on his head as a shield, a lamp to light the way, and ten bronze coins to restart life, in a find that confirms the account written by Pliny the Younger almost 2,000 years ago.

At 16 years old and without money to buy equipment, a student from the Sertão of Paraíba built his first telescope with two margarine buckets and a wall mirror, and today he brings space observations to schools and squares in the region with increasingly powerful devices.